The Best Reverse Osmosis Systems of 2022

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To reduce contaminants from drinking water or improve the taste and smell of tap water, water filters in refrigerators and pitchers can do the job. But, to take water purification to the next level, consider a reverse osmosis water filtration system.

A reverse osmosis (RO) water system integrates with the plumbing under your kitchen sink to force water through a semipermeable membrane and a series of filters, removing sediment and contaminants, providing dozens of gallons of purified water each day. This article will explore factors you should consider when shopping for the best reverse osmosis system and some top options.

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What to Consider When Choosing the Best Reverse Osmosis System

There are a number of factors to consider when shopping for a reverse osmosis system, including whether you need to filter tap or well water, your plumbing requirements, desired water output, the number of filtering stages, and installation demands.

Plumbing Requirements

Before purchasing a reverse osmosis system, it’s essential to consider a few plumbing factors. Start by checking out the space under your kitchen sink. Because it uses multiple filters and a large storage tank, a reverse osmosis system takes up a lot of real estate. That means items stored under your sink will have to go. And, if you have a garbage disposal, it may be challenging to fit a reverse osmosis system below the sink.

You’ll also need to assess the top of your sink. RO systems require a separate faucet, which typically sits adjacent to your standard kitchen faucet. This means you’ll need to install a second faucet at your sink, either by drilling through the sink edge or the countertop.

RO systems also use a dedicated air gap or non-air gap faucet. Reverse osmosis systems remove impurities by separating them from a water supply in liquid form. That liquid then must be discharged through an air gap that drips the wastewater into an outlet tube connected to the sink drain.

An air gap faucet prevents the contaminated water from being drawn back into the RO system’s discharge side. If the faucet is not near the RO system and is therefore not sharing a discharge line, there is no need for an air gap faucet. Otherwise, purchase a system with an air gap faucet.

Water Output

Even though an RO faucet will dispense water quickly, it refills the storage tank at the relatively slow rate of about 50 gallons per day. That translates into a water output of about 1 gallon every 30 minutes. With that in mind, you need to be selective about when to use water from the RO tap.

Only use the RO faucet for drinking and cooking water. For a family with a lot of pure water needs, consider purchasing a high output system, which can produce up to 90 gallons of treated water per day, or a tankless system, which can provide up to 400 gallons of purified water.

Wastewater

One criticism of reverse osmosis water filtration systems is that they create a lot of wastewater. Unlike standard filters, which remove solid contaminants as the water passes through the filter, reverse osmosis filters remove those contaminants in liquid form, creating wastewater called brine. A conventional RO system can produce a staggering amount of brine—between three and 25 gallons per gallon of purified water. With this in mind, look for RO systems that have a low ratio of wastewater to purified water.

Tank Size

RO storage tanks range in size from 3 gallons to 14 gallons; however, tank size can be a bit deceiving when it comes to reverse osmosis systems. The actual storage tank capacity will be less than what the tank is rated to hold. This is because RO storage tanks contain a metal bladder and a bubble of air to create enough pressure to push the water through the faucet when the tap is open.

The actual amount of water the tank will hold varies depending on the amount of air pressure inside the tank. For example, a 4.5-gallon storage tank will hold around 2 to 3 gallons of water. This is important to consider as you shop for an RO tank system that will meet your family’s daily drinking water demands.

Filtering Stages

Because there is no single type of filter that can remove all contaminants by itself, the best reverse osmosis systems feature a series of different filters called stages. While water quality experts generally agree that four stages are enough to purify water, some systems have seven stages or more.

The filtering stages consist of a carbon filter that removes sediment; a reverse osmosis membrane removes dissolved substances from the water; a filter that removes harmful contaminants, microorganisms, and bacteria; and a post-filter that removes odor and taste from the water.

Additional filters remove smaller 1-micron particles and excessive amounts of minerals like iron, lead, salt, and nitrates. Larger six- and seven-stage systems include filters that may add valuable minerals to the water lost in previous filtrations, such as calcium, and filters that improve taste and appearance.

High-Pressure Pump

For an RO system to work, it needs water pressure of at least 50 pounds per square inch (PSI). Most homes have water pressure between 30 and 80 pounds psi. This high pressure is needed to push the water through the various reverse osmosis filters and still maintain adequate pressure at the tap.

For homes that lack high pressure, an RO booster pump increases the water pressure at the system to up to 80 psi. Even homes that operate on standard city water pressure of 60 psi can benefit from a pump, as an RO system will run better at 80 psi or higher.

Valves

Water enters the RO system by passing through a membrane and then into the RO tank. RO systems have a shut-off valve, which is a one-way valve that prevents water in the storage tank from back flowing into the membrane when the tank is full.

Once the tank is full, this spring-operated valve engages, stopping the flow of water back against the reverse osmosis membrane, effectively holding it in the tank. The valve automatically reopens when the tank’s pressure drops enough to allow water to enter the RO system again. Though tiny and inexpensive, this valve is crucial to the proper functioning of the RO system.

Ease of Installation

The installation can be completed by the competent DIYer in as little as two hours, saving the $45 to $65 an hour it would cost a plumber to do it.

Our Top Picks

This list below represents the top standard, countertop, and tankless reverse osmosis water treatment systems from the industry’s leading manufacturers. These units feature high output and efficient wastewater to purified water ratios.

Best Overall

Waterdrop RO Reverse Osmosis Water Filtration System

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Ranked as one of the best reverse osmosis systems, the Waterdrop tankless model has high output for large households. While most RO systems rely on a large tank, which eats up most of the space under your kitchen sink and limits output, this system filters water on demand. The Waterdrop provides an unending supply of treated water, as it doesn’t have to wait for the tank to refill. As a result, it can produce a whopping 400 gallons per day. This system is efficient, producing just 1 gallon of wastewater for each gallon of purified water.

The Waterdrop also includes some excellent features for monitoring the system. A multi-colored LED display provides the status for each of the three filters in its seven stages and the total dissolved solid level of the filtered water in real-time. Keep in mind, however, that this new RO system technology comes with a higher price—up to twice as much as standard RO systems.

Product Specs

Pros

Cons

Runner Up

APEC Water Systems Essence Reverse Osmosis System

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With easy installation and high-capacity filters that last much longer than those of other systems, APEC’s RO system is an excellent option for purifying your home’s water. Whereas filters on other systems may last for only a few months, the filters on this six-stage system will last for a full year before needing replacement.

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What good is purified water if you can drink only lukewarm glasses of it? One solution is to start filling ice-cube trays. A better solution is to connect your RO system to your refrigerator’s ice maker with this kit, which allows you to create pure ice cubes to go with the purified water from your RO system.

This kit will work with most water filter systems using 1/4-inch tubing. It includes 20 feet of 1/4-inch tubing and two quick-connect fittings for making the connection to your fridge. Make sure you have an easy way to run this line from your RO system to your fridge to ensure a seamless installation.

Product Specs

Pros

Cons

Our Verdict

For a reliable option, the tankless, on-demand Waterdrop reverse osmosis water filtration system comes with a multi-colored LED display, produces 400 gallons of clean water per day, has 7 filtration stages, and only produces 1 gallon of wastewater per gallon of purified water. Alternatively, for a budget-friendly pick, the Express Water reverse osmosis water filter system has a 4-gallon tank, produces 75 gallons per day, has 6 filtration systems, is easy to install, and the filters last for over a year before requiring replacements.

How We Chose the Best Reverse Osmosis Systems

We researched the most sought-after reverse osmosis water filter systems in their respective categories and discovered that the best models are determined by their tank size, water output, filtration stages included, filtration type, and other special features included by select brands.

Whether you are looking for a countertop reverse osmosis water filter for a few people or need a large, under-sink unit that can support an entire household, the above models range from 1- to 400-gallon water outputs per day with their tankless or tanked constructions. Those options that do have tanks can hold ½ a gallon to over 4 gallons of water on-hand, while tankless options can produce unlimited clear water on-demand.

As for the filtration processes, we featured options that include 4 to 11 filtration stages, some of which remove over 99 percent of contaminants, odors, and tastes with alkaline, ultraviolet, and/or deionization systems . Some picks are also capable of adding vitamins and minerals as they filter. For added ease of use and effectiveness, select options also include LED displays and easy-to-change filters.

The Advantages of Owning a Reverse Osmosis System

Reverse osmosis water treatment systems offer a bevy of health benefits that make them a worthy investment for your home. The filtration process removes bacteria and microorganisms and impurities, such as arsenic, chromium, and other chemical contaminants.

In addition to making healthier drinking water, RO systems also make drinking water tastier. The contaminants in water can cause bitter tastes and foul smells. When RO systems remove these contaminants, the water smells and tastes cleaner.

Although it may not seem this way when you make the initial investment in an RO system, it can save you money. Purchasing bottled water from a grocery store is considerably more expensive than filtering your own water.

And while there is some debate about the impact of RO systems on the environment due to the amount of wastewater produced, they do the environment a favor by reducing the creation of plastic waste that comes from bottled water.

How to Install a Reverse Osmosis System by Yourself

Save yourself a steep plumber’s bill and read on to learn how to install a reverse osmosis water filtration system yourself.

FAQs

If you still have lingering concerns about your new RO system, look below for answers to the most common questions.

Q: How does a reverse osmosis system work?

Osmosis is the process of passing water molecules through a semipermeable membrane from a less-concentrated solution into a more concentrated solution. RO water filtration systems work by passing water through a semipermeable membrane under pressure. The reverse osmosis membrane allows water molecules to pass through but does not allow larger molecules such as bacteria, viruses, urea sodium, and chlorine to pass through.

Q: What do reverse osmosis systems remove?

Reverse osmosis water filtration systems remove harmful bacteria, viruses, sediment, dirt, and a long list of toxic chemicals and compounds, including arsenic, copper, radium, cadmium, and lead.

Q: Which is better for you, distilled or reverse osmosis water?

Because the distillation system cannot altogether remove every trace of chlorine and certain pesticides and herbicides from water, RO filtration systems are more effective at purifying water.

Q: What is the difference between a single pass and a double pass RO system?

The difference between a single pass and double pass RO system is that the water produced from the first pass feeds back through the system again as the feed water for the second pass. This means the water goes through the system twice, creating a higher quality of purified water.

Q: Does the RO system have an impact on the environment?

Because RO systems do waste a considerable amount of water, they impact the environment. The average RO filtration system produces about 4 gallons of wastewater per gallon of purified water. That said, RO systems reduce the consumption of bottled water, which is considerably more damaging to the environment due to the use of non-biodegradable plastic bottles.

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